The annual Met Gala, which is hosted by the Costume Institute, is the perfect occasion to reinvent oneself in whatever way you see fit. And although sliding into an amazing sartorial confection might do wonders, the application of directed hair and makeup is a vital element of the equation. In point of fact, there are several occasions in which a star’s hair and makeup helped propel their appearance into daringly new terrain.
Iman bucked the decade’s clean lines with deep ruby red lips and her caramel lengths woven into the world’s tallest thin braids updo topped with a sparkling brooch, whereas Cher ditched her choppy raven mullet in favor of a sleek updo that highlighted her vivid violet gaze, fuchsia cheeks, and dazzling winged ear adornments in the 1980s. In 2004, Amber Valletta drew inspiration for her appearance from Marie Antoinette and wore a powdery blond pouf and swirls of pink blush. This was Amber Valletta’s contribution to the topic of “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century.”
Both of these looks were inspired by the punk rocker Siouxsie Sioux. Rihanna, who stole the show on the red carpet at the 2015 “China: Through the Looking Glass” premiere wearing a gilded crystal flower headdress atop her crimson bob and a yellow robe combination designed by Chinese designer Guo Pei, proved once again that no detail is too little for her. Taylor Swift debuted a white-hot dye job while reflecting on 2016’s “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” theme. Ciara, on the other hand, went for a dazzling silver tint to give her hair a metallic luster. Both looks were inspired by the topic.
Even while each year requires its own unique touch of panache, you can count on “Camp: Notes on Fashion” in 2020 to boost the ante when it comes to drama and theatrics. Playing dress up was practically the name of the game, as evidenced by Zendaya’s homage to Joan of Arc with her atomic red bob and Lily Collins’s ode to Priscilla Presley on her wedding day to Elvis, in which she wore a teased, floral-adorned bouffant. Both of these looks were reminiscent of Priscilla Presley on her wedding day. Finally, in recognition of the previous year’s theme, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” Billie Eilish debuted a new look that was reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe, finish with soft cat flicks and a platinum blonde bob. At the same time, Irina Shayk and Jasmine Tookes ditched their bombshell lengths in favor of edgy pixie cuts that played up their sculptural features. This is a look back at the best beauty makeovers that have ever taken place at the Met Gala in anticipation of this year’s event, which will be themed “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.”
